Final Report Summary - GLYCOSURF (Surface-Based Molecular Imprinting for Glycoprotein Recognition) GLYCOSURF developed novel methodologies for the construction of complex materials to recognise, capture and detect glycoproteins and glycans in a very specific manner. Highlights of the work performed include employment of cutting edge molecular engineering and self-assembly for fabricating surfaces with unprecedented specificity for glycoproteins and glycans. Oligosaccharide recognition sites were created on material surfaces with unmatched, binary on-off binding behaviour, sharply discriminating a target oligosaccharide over closely related carbohydrate structures. The basis for the superselective binding behaviour relies on the highly efficient generation of a pure, high order complex of the oligosaccharide target with synthetic carbohydrate receptor sites, in which the spatial arrangement of the multiple receptors in the complex is preserved upon material surface incorporation. We have pioneered work on eukaryotic cellular-electrical communication, wherein communication is mediated by the binding of cells via their cell–surface glycan units. Our work has led to the filling of a patent - WO2015/118294 – wherein we present a technology for detecting glycoproteins and glycans with unprecedented selectivity. The technology opens new opportunities for early and accurate detection of various diseases, including cancer, immune deficiencies, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disorders and any other disorder associated with changes to sugar chains of proteins.
